Friday, November 12, 2010
Ephesians 6:13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
SOBERING THOUGHTS AT THE END OF THE CHURCH YEAR (5):
OUR ENEMY'S ALLIES
Our enemies are both powerful and cunning. We are not only warned about the power of Satan (1 Peter 5:8) but also about his methods, about his trickery and cunning (... the wiles, the schemes of the devil, Ephesians 6:11).
Our enemy has thousands of years of experience and has a full bag of tricks. If he can't get us to forsake God's Word, he'll be satisfied if we wink at sin and downplay it. If he can't seduce us into blatant sin, he'll lead us to think that we are pretty good people, holier than most!
Our enemy enlists as allies those close to us. He uses acquaintances to tempt us to sin. He whispers to us of sin in the lyrics of catchy songs. He makes sin look wholesome, even acceptable on the television. He tempts to lust and greed on the big screen. He'd like us to underestimate his power. He seeks to quietly erode our sense of wrong and right, to undermine our faith in Christ.
He even uses our own sinful natures against us. He uses our own pride and it is a crippling weakness. He wants us to think that we can handle it. "I'm too smart to be taken in by temptation." "I won't let it get too far." "I won't let it happen a second time."
The truth is quickly evident, isn't it? Dr. Luther was right when he wrote in "A Mighty Fortress" (TLH 262:2): "With might of ours can naught be done, soon were our loss effected ..." It is a sobering truth. But remember how Luther continued? "But for us fights the Valiant One, Whom God Himself elected. Ask ye, Who is this? Jesus Christ it is, Of Sabaoth Lord, and there's none other God; He holds the field forever."
Our enemy has frightening allies. Yet there are more with us than with them (cf. 2 Chronicles 32:7-8)! Christ Jesus the victorious Lord loves us and knows us by name. He is at hand to aid and defend.
